Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide

She is a little silly & fun,but her information seems for the most part correct. There are some IMPORTANT things she either got wrong or did not mention, though, which I will get into in my review.Several reviews complained that this book is too small. True, but it also makes it more convenient. I would much prefer to bring this around than to lug around Alicia Silverstone's the Kind Mama.Another book, Vegan For Her says that your calcium needs do not increase during pregnancy, which seems a bit different than what Rebhal says. They both agree that it calcium is crucial, though.Both Rebhal and Silverstone (in the Kind Mama) recommend chamomile tea. While chamomile tea can be safe in small amounts during the first, and MAYBE second trimester, it gets dangerous in the third trimester. (See nutritionfacts.org, search "chamomile tea" or search for their video on YouTube).Both Rebhal and Silverstone also recommend eating the placenta. While yes, it may contain nutrients, it also contains toxins. LEAD, mercury, flame retardants, etc. all build up in the placenta to protect the baby as best as possible. When you eat the placenta, you will also eat whatever toxins you may have unknowingly come into contact with during pregnancy. Lead in water, etc. If you choose to breastfeed after eating the placenta, you may transfer some of these toxins to the baby through breastmilk.Both Rebhal and Silverstone recommend oils. While I think that sometimes oil can be useful during pregnancy, I do not believe there is any such thing as a healthy oil. If you want to use some oil, go with OLIVE over coconut, as coconut has saturated fats. Do not believe biased industry studies, there is NO SUCH THING as "healthy saturated fats." Oils are processed, and they have risks. Use lightly.Author also recommends drinking kombucha tea. Kombucha tea can be risky for your heart. I would not recommend it for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, & even after, only in moderation.Rebhal appears to auto-assume you will be having a hospital birth.I do like that she discusses this stuff in case of hospital transfer for those who intend to have a home birth.This is contrasted from the Kind Mama, where Silverstone appears to assume that everyone should have a home birth unless there is an emergency (I am of the belief that this is best, but I would never say someone SHOULD have a home birth if they feel most comfortable, relaxed & safe in a hospital).Also, a previous reviewer said that Rebhal said that there is no vegan vit. D. In my book, Rebhal does mention ergocalciferol, the vegan version. Maybe in a previous version she was unaware that a vegan version existed.In terms of nutrition information, although I have not read the Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book yet, I would say, of the books I've read (this 1, the Kind Mama, & Vegan for Her), the most clear & easy to use information came from Vegan for Her. I do appreciate all of these 3 books for different merits.This book is most helpful for responses to misinformed family members who have good intentions & ultimately care about you and your baby, & I definitely agree with her that anyone who does not truly care, does not warrant an argument.If you choose to get your omega 3's from only ALAs like walnuts & flax seed, you may not be getting enough, or you may have to eat a LOT. I do think everyone should take a DHA + EPA supplement.As for sea vegetables, kelp (or kombu) has too much Iodine.Sea vegetables should be limited to a couple times a week to avoid iodine toxicity.Hiziki (or hijiki) should be avoided for its high ARSENIC content (This can also be verified through nutritionfacts.org or their YouTube channel).Unlike apples, the benefits do not outweigh the risks or amount of arsenic.Also, while no one wants to mention it, breast pumps can lead to breast cancer. It's a toxic petroleum-by product that can leach toxins when exposed to sunlight or heat.I always appreciate citations in a book!Also, the author is super cute! I love her silly pregnancy photos.

I really enjoyed this book - it's a quick read; I finished it in 2 days! I feel like it's the perfect intro to vegan pregnancy. Some reviewers chastised this book for being too sarcastic or vague. I disagree & think it's just as described, a "survival guide". There is a ton of good information in here, but it doesn't come off overwhelming. The tone of the book is more, girlfriend to girlfriend, which makes it an easy and fun read.I actually took notes while reading the nutrition chapters. Ya, you might already know some nutrition basics, but pregnancy is a different world & the author gives good concise info about how what you eat affects baby.The only thing I might dislike about the book would be the lack of an Index - it'd be helpful to have. Though the book is so short, you could easily tab pages and quickly find what you're looking for later. There are some cool topics that I would like the author to have elaborated on, but she lists many links, forums, etc to source more info from.Overall, I'm VERY happy with this purchase. If it's your first plant based pregnancy - you won't regret this little guide! & even better to grab it before you're in the family way. The first half of the book is really dedicated to pre-pregnancy anyways!

Once I got pregnant I struggled to maintain a whole-food based diet. Plants didn't sound all that great, and cheese did. I felt pretty alone, too. I couldn't find many vegan blogs in the internet world of mommy's-to-be, so I found Amazon instead. I like the author's way of writing, she made me laugh throughout the book and also comforted me on the pregnant, vegan journey ahead. I recommend this book 'cause she gives you advice on what to expect when people hear you don't eat animals and you're growing a baby inside of you. Plants are AMAZING for the baby, the mom, and maybe you'll even inspire the doctors who look at your blood tests and see how rad your insides are :) (my midwife was inspired - highest iron count she had ever seen in a vegan, pregnant woman at her practice).But if you do buy this book, do it at the very start of pregnancy. I bought it towards the end of the first trimester and a lot of the stuff I read was old news to me since I had been reading about pregnancy + plant-based foods for weeks before hand.Happy pregnancy!

This was a wonderful resource as a first time mother and transitional vegan plant based eater! I feel lost with the bad reviews. I appreciated this no fluff, very informational quick read book. I was a high raw vegan for my second pregnancy and my son was insanely healthy, I had an amazing pregnancy and I took zero chances on my little one inside me. With the helpful information in this book and some common sense stuff, my midwives said my iron cells were the highest they’ve ever seen and my to this day is the healthiest one in our family.

My only complaint about this book is that it's too short. I switched to a vegan lifestyle smack-dab in the middle of my pregnancy, and although I've been vegan before, I needed some serious advice (I was more into being thin than healthy before I got pregnant, then I binged on junk food in the first trimester and just needed help in general). My health is the most important thing to me right now, so that I can grow a healthy baby, and Sayward's writing was the perfect style for me. She understands that not everyone is vegan, not everyone gets to live in Portland like she does, and that a healthy pregnancy is still possible. Her tone is kind, forgiving, and incredibly helpful to common concerns about iron and vital nutrients. Because of her book, I eat 2 disgusting tablespoons of organic unsulphured blackstrap molasses every day, and my iron levels have never been better! This book was easy to read, and I came away with a lot of valuable information.

I wanted this for my first vegan pregnancy as the other reviews online have been all about how useful a resource it is. Instead it reads like a book that was written in a rush, jumping from one topic to another and not really covering practical foods for during pregnancy. It also has far too much focus on supplementing and buying 'superfoods' which are expensive and not easy to come by. A disappointing book.

Dieser kleine "Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide" ist ein absolutes must-have für alle veganen werdenden Mütter. Hier erfährst Du wie Du gut versorgt mit Vitaminen, Mineralien etc. durch die Schwangerschaft und die Stillzeit kommst. Nach diesem Buch muss man sich auch als Veganerin keine Gedanken mehr machen sein sich im Mutterleib befindendes Baby richtig mit Nährstoffen zu versorgen.Am besten legt man sich gleich einen Textmarker und Seitenmarkierer + Post its parat damit man sich die wichtigen Dinge (und da gibt es mehr als genug davon) makieren & evtl. wenn nötig übersetzen kann.Liebe vegane Mamas ich lege Euch dieses Buch ans Herz...ihr werdet nach dem Lesen so entspannt sein & keine Zweifel mehr haben, dass eine vegane Schwangerschaft die richtige Entscheidung war!

I read that the book is small, but I was surprised when I actually saw how small it is. Around 110 of miniature pages. The information is very basic and I would say that for me the whole book looked like 1-2 usual internet articles. Maybe it is ok if it is the first book you ever read about vegan diet and lifestyle, but if you have at least some experience, this book will be a waste of time and money.

Ich fand dieses Buch recht oberflächlich und würde es nicht weiter empfehlen.

good pocket guide and amusing to read. it is miniscule though so i'd recommend purchasing other books to go along with this one